Preorder Move Slow & Make Things, and enjoy a collection of thoughtful bonus content created just for you!

All Things Home

All Things Home

a bench, a fountain, and garden lights

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Lamps Plus.  As always, all words and opinions expressed are honest and my own. Do you remember some of the lighting fixtures I’ve gotten from Lamps Plus for our house so far?  We updated the 50-year-old exterior lights with the classic Stratton Street Lights… We added a lot more light to the long, interior hall with the Possini Euro Star fixtures… …and freed up the living room side tables by adding the Mendes Antique Brass wall sconces over the sofa. As we’ve been turning some of our attention to the house’s exterior this spring and summer, I started looking at some of the items offered in the “plus” categories of Lamps Plus.  What initially led me to them was the search for a teak bench similar to the one we bought in PA and took with us to Minnesota.  I loved that bench, but

Read More
All Things Home

pressing & mounting flowers | video tutorial

Last month, I shared how I was taking cuttings from my garden to preserve them in my gardening notebook.  As various other herbs and flowers have reached their peak, I have clipped them to add.  I decided I would make a quick video on pressing and mounting flowers in a notebook while I was at it.  I still have a few more to cut and press, but I have a pretty nice collection happening and I love how it makes my notebook even more personal and special. I pressed all of the herbs, a few annuals that are in pots on the patio and in the garden beds, and blooms off of flowering bushes.  I labeled each one along with the date it was planted or cut.  Admittedly, I didn’t stay consistent with the dating, but precision wasn’t the goal.  I just want to keep a general record of the

Read More
All Things Home

a rug, the first dried hydrangeas, & a cloche

Do you remember the jute rug in the kitchen eating area with the scalloped edge?  I loved the detail around the border, but I have some sad news. After about a year in a heavy traffic path, the scallops around the corners started to come loose.  I learned this is the kind of run that is best used in a room where people and animals won’t be walking over the corners throughout the day.  I probably should’ve noticed the wear and rotated the run to extend its life, but it was becoming a bit of a tripping hazard.  The fortunate thing about jute rugs, though, is they are inexpensive, so I don’t have anxiety about them wearing out.  Most of my jute rugs have lasted for several years and the ones I had the longest (about 8 years) I sold with our last house and imagine they are still in

Read More
All Things Home

avoiding decorating mistakes

A couple of unfortunate things have happened to my blog over the years moving servers, changing platforms, getting a new camera, and a few mysteries that have caused some glitches in thousands of old blog posts.  Certain links from posts have disappeared (along with the words that were linked), some internal links have a superfluous date in the URL that makes the links lead to nowhere, and some pictures in 2016 were replaced with photos from 2018 that happened to have the same name.  All of that to say, I’m working through a few old posts each day to fix this issue and, while the work is tedious, it’s been nostalgic looking through some of the posts from 8-10 years ago.  As I’m getting ready to do more painting projects in our current house and thinking through decorating decisions, this post particularly caught my eye.  It was a Dear Reader

Read More
All Things Home

Giving an antique whirligig a makeover

 A few months ago, I decided to check out an antique store I hadn’t been to in a while – the Fayetteville Antique Mall in Fayetteville, PA.  I used to go there regularly when we lived in PA, but I noticed more vendors were leaving over and the quality of the merchandise was going downhill.  But, I’ve learned with antique malls that it’s always worth checking it out.  Even one or two new vendors that carry things I like can make a place worth visiting.  Well, they have really stepped up their game since I was last there.  There were more vendors with quality antique pieces.  The store was tidier and more pleasant to shop.  I bought a nice collection of things and liked many pieces that I just didn’t have the right spot for.  I’ll definitely make regular visits!  Anyway, one of the things I bought was this antique

Read More
All Things Home

two antique watercolor boxes

We’re going back to April when I first took these pictures and started this post-draft.  You see, my birthday is in April and, even though I just turned 46, I still celebrate my birthday like I did as a teenager.  It’s not just my birthday, but my birthday month which means I can splurge on a few things and buy goodies I happen to come across in very specific searches on Etsy.  It means treats, gifts, cards, and well-wishes are welcomed the entire month of April.  I’ve already shared a few things I bought with my birthday money or received for my birthday as well as some treats I bought for myself, but there are two more things I haven’t shared yet.  I found both of them at the end of March and bought them in anticipation of my birthday month.  They are both antique art supplies, which probably doesn’t

Read More
1970 home renovation

Landscape Mural Design & Colors

I’m getting things lined up to start “dining room mural take two.”  I painted the mural in my last dining room with very little planning.  I just had an idea in my head and used MMS Milk Paint and some acrylics that I had on hand.  I was just going to throw the paint on the wall to see how it worked.  It’s just paint after all and I could always paint over if it wasn’t working.  I kept it very loose, drippy, watery, and light, so I was able to finish it in just a couple of days. For this mural, I decided to use Farrow & Ball paints so there is cohesion with the paint colors (Light Blue and Card Room Green) used in adjoining rooms.  I also like the idea of having a palette of colors instead of mixing my own colors.  I’m sure some amount of

Read More
All Things Home

dining room curtain options

Last week, I shared inspiration and some plans for our dining room.  You can find that post HERE.  In this post, I wanted to share the fabrics and colors I considered for the curtains and which one I selected. We have already had these windows replaced, but I’ve been waiting to nail down the curtains until I figured out what I wanted to do on the walls.  This room is a game of dominoes and I have been hesitant to commit to knocking the first one down.  It’s easier to paint before hanging curtains and I obviously want the paint and curtains to make sense together, but I need to paint the ceiling before I paint the walls… You can see how this goes. Full-length curtains will add so much to this space, though, so I can’t wait to get them done.  They’ll frame out the window and visually give

Read More

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Now Available for Preorder

Move Slow & Make Things

A book about creativity, intention, and making things with care. Sign up to receive updates, preorder details, and exclusive bonus content.

From the Studio

Artful pieces for your home and everyday life.

From original paintings and art prints to Pup Club releases and curated goods, each piece is created or chosen to bring warmth, creativity, and character into your home.

From the Studio and Home

Shop the Feed

A handpicked collection of items styled and shared throughout posts, projects, and social feeds. Every product is thoughtfully chosen to reflect a timeless, collected aesthetic.

Recent Video

Spring Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest